Explorer Safety

[Allenw]

Open Message to All,

I own a 1999 Ford Explorer XLT 2WD and really like the SUV. We use it both on road and off (lightly).

The first thing I did was to put a real truck tire on the Explorer that can handle 50psi. It is the Michelin LTX/AT 235/75/15. This is for load handling, hauling and traction.

My wife had an experience just 4 weeks ago where the Explorer went out of control and almost wrecked because of an uneven lane. She asked that I fix it so it would not likely do this again. After much research I found two companies that offered suspension upgrades: Saleen, Inc (who built a 1999 Saleen Explorer) and Explorer Express (who specializes in Explorer suspension kits).

I ordered their 1.75" lowering kit, Bilsteins and several other items. Installed them and WOW what a difference! Please this is not an advertisement. This post is about the safety of our loved ones. After the alignment I tested the Explorer. It now tracks where ever I turn the wheel, at 55mph, with minimal sway and with absolute control. My wife is very happy and now feels safe again.

The cost was small overall but the result was great. The overall ride quality is really not that bad and yes I still can take our canoe out on the back roads.

Al Wissinger

ps...I just joined this forum and noticed that one of the sponsor's is Explorer Express

 

[Trckmagik]

Welcome to the site! I installed the explorer express drop on my 2001 Sport Trac and the ride is so much better now. I also installed the Edelbrach shocks on during this install. What a big change in the way the explorer handles! Again, welcome and stick around.

 

[Allenw]

Thanks for the support

Originally posted by trckmagik
Welcome to the site! I installed the explorer express drop on my 2001 Sport Trac and the ride is so much better now. I also installed the Edelbrach shocks on during this install. What a big change in the way the explorer handles! Again, welcome and stick around.

Thanks for your support. I also own a '99 Mazda B2500 that I will be lifting soon. Already have 31x10.50x15's on it with no rubbing. Also have a '94 Jeep Grand Cherokee with a 3" kit and 31x10.50x15's on it. As well our pride and joy is the '72 chevelle ( http://www.io.com/a/jeremiah .

Al

 

[bluescat]

Welcome to the Board

I was wondering when I'd get some feedback on the Explorer Express package, sounds good. When you said that business about the 50 lbs of air you didn't actually mean you put that in there did you? Anything much above 35 lbs and you'll definitely notice a change for the worse in manuevers unless you're really loaded down.
Now that you're here and a memebr in good standing by modding your ride, you are going to sell that Jeep aren't you?

 

[Allenw]

Re: Welcome to the Board

Originally posted by bluescat
I was wondering when I'd get some feedback on the Explorer Express package, sounds good. When you said that business about the 50 lbs of air you didn't actually mean you put that in there did you? Anything much above 35 lbs and you'll definitely notice a change for the worse in manuevers unless you're really loaded down.
Now that you're here and a memebr in good standing by modding your ride, you are going to sell that Jeep aren't you?

I actually run 50psi on all 4 tires. The higher tire pressure provides less sidewall flex (better handling), reduced rolling resistance (gas mileage). I used to race autocross in San Diego many years ago. One of the handling tricks we did was to increase tire pressure above the recommended max. Back then (1981) low profile tires were not that common, especially for the application I had (1977 Mercury Capri). I do plan on putting the Pirelli Scorpion Zero tires (275/55/17) on in a few months. I won't need to run the higher pressure with these tires.

I am so happy with their package that I am considering building a quick website on Explorer safety for the regular consumer market (yuppies).

My daughter actually drives the Jeep and would someday dearly love to get her mother's Explorer. Time will be her friend, especially while she is in college.

I also put on the Borla catback exhaust and a K&N filter with my SOHC motor. Very Nice. When Explorer Express completes their supercharger package for this motor, I will seriously look at buying it.

Later,
Al

 

[Ray Lobato]

Re: Re: Welcome to the Board

Originally posted by Allenw
I actually run 50psi on all 4 tires. The higher tire pressure provides less sidewall flex (better handling), reduced rolling resistance (gas mileage). I used to race autocross in San Diego many years ago. One of the handling tricks we did was to increase tire pressure above the recommended max.

Hi Allen,
I don't recommend inflating your tires that much on a SUV. Too much weight! It might have been alright on a autocross car with a low center of gravity, but not on a SUV.
What you would want to do is put poly bushings on the swaybars. That will help get rid of the swaying when doing quick manuvers, and get rid of the stock shocks too. They are garbage. If your tires were not as inflated as you have them, your wife would not have had that problem on the uneven road. The tire would have comformed to the road, somewhat and not bounced either over the uneven pavement harshly or bounced back. You gotta remember, this is a truck, not a car.
Oh, Welcome to the site. Hope you like it as much as the rest of us do.

 

[Allenw]

Re: Re: Re: Welcome to the Board

Originally posted by Ray Lobato

Originally posted by Allenw
I actually run 50psi on all 4 tires. The higher tire pressure provides less sidewall flex (better handling), reduced rolling resistance (gas mileage). I used to race autocross in San Diego many years ago. One of the handling tricks we did was to increase tire pressure above the recommended max.

Hi Allen,
I don't recommend inflating your tires that much on a SUV. Too much weight! It might have been alright on a autocross car with a low center of gravity, but not on a SUV.
What you would want to do is put poly bushings on the swaybars. That will help get rid of the swaying when doing quick manuvers, and get rid of the stock shocks too. They are garbage. If your tires were not as inflated as you have them, your wife would not have had that problem on the uneven road. The tire would have comformed to the road, somewhat and not bounced either over the uneven pavement harshly or bounced back. You gotta remember, this is a truck, not a car.
Oh, Welcome to the site. Hope you like it as much as the rest of us do.

Ray,
Thanks for the suggestions. I will deflate the tires some and see how it handles in contrast to where they are now.

Al

 

[Allenw]

Re: Re: Re: Welcome to the Board

Originally posted by Gimp
Originally posted by Allenw [/i]

My daughter actually drives the Jeep and would someday dearly love to get her mother's Explorer. Time will be her friend, especially while she is in college.


Well, Allen, I guess you can explain away the Jeep thing on youthful indiscretion however, since she wants the Explorer, it looks like she might be wising up a little.
My ten-year-old daughter is all set to inherit my Explorer. She even tells people that it's HER Explorer. Well, since she's the one that keeps it cleaned and vacuumed all of the time, I guess I can't deny her.
Robert

(Don't worry about your daughter--she'll eventually get over the Jeep thing and drive a real SUV. I remember when I was young; I knew it all and also indulged in youthful dalliances.)

Yep, it is funny how daddy's little girl tends to get what she wants! Oh well, such is life, but I intend to have fun with it while I can and am looking forward to the supercharger package from Explorer Express.

 

[GJarrett]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Welcome to the Board

Originally posted by Allenw
Ray,
Thanks for the suggestions. I will deflate the tires some and see how it handles in contrast to where they are now.

Al [/B]

I have to second Ray on everything he said. You don't need to deflate the tires "some", you need to do it a lot. The most you should have in there (unless towing) would be about 35, and 32 or so should really be the top. There's no way those tires could have gripped the road the way they were designed to when your wife came into that situation.
At 50 psi they were not getting any traction.

Welcome to the board!

 

[leebo]

I'm going third on that one too. The only time I go above 30 is when I'm towing our camper. I also know about safety problems with the explorer. I've almost lost a loved one too a freak wreak. Check out my site for some photos. The worst thing is we're not sure what happened.

 

[Tom Wilk]

I have to chime in as well against the 50 psi pressure. Tire pressure is a tradeoff between contact area (between the tire and the road) and sidewall flex. The higher the pressure, the less contact area the tire has, but the stiffer the sidewalls. You need to find something lower IMHO. As Gerald said, 35 ought to be pretty much the max, unless you are hauling something really heavy. I used to run near the max on my Mustang, but the max was only 35 psi on those tires. The Michelins that you have sound like light truck tires, which already have a stiffer sidewall than passinger car tires. They are designed to run at full pressure only under full rated load.

You may also find that at very high pressures, the vehicle doesn't handle bumps very well. Not just the ride quality, but you may experience the tires bouncing into the air and landing somewhere you didn't intend. A good sized bump in the middle of a quick corner could set your back end about 2 feet to the side of where they should have gone.

Unfortunately, the tires you have have a very tall profile, so they won't handle as well as your other mods make possible. The Scorpions that you mentioned should excel in that area.

 

[Jim F]

Max tire pressure

Since it was not mentioned, I would like to remind everyone that the max tire pressure on the sidewall of the tire is the maximum pressure at its hottest point and who knows when that will be.

When the tire heats up, the tire pressure goes up. There is no way of knowing how hot a tire is going to get. An example of this is the max pressure on the Wilderness AT's is 40psi with a "C" temp rating. The Michelins say 50psi and I believe they have a "B" rating. If you have them at 50psi cold and drive for awhile, the pressure will exceed the maximum and damage can start on the guts of the tire. Over time the damage will take its toll and tire failure will result. Basically the opposite to the Firestone under-pressure failure.

You guys probably already know this stuff, so I will quiet down and go back to reading the new stuff here.

 

[Maniak]

I could have sworn that the Goodyear/BFGtire/Yokohama or one of those sites I was visiting last week said the tire pressure on the sidewall was max COLD pressure and not hot pressure.

This would mean that if you needed to carry the max load that a tire could carry that you would need the max tire pressure the tire could take..

 

[Goober]

That's my understanding of it also Maniak. I still failk to understand why they(tire tech) who installed my KO's fill it the the max, I lowered it to 32psig. I weigh 230, but I'm not anywhere near the MAX load... Perhaps wearing something more slimming......

 

[01EB5.0]

I run my tires at about 38 and they seem to handle fine, I just don't run to run them low because then they will get chewed up and rounded off in 35,000 like my mom's Bridgestone dualer H/T on her van...the max on those is 50psi COLD and my dad was running them at between 40 and 45 and they are worn on the sides with only about 35,000. So far my tires have 15K and look great. The tires grip extreamly well and feels very sure-footed on sharp corners too. I have only lost the back end doing a 90* turn and punching the gas, but thats what I expected.

 

[Allenw]

Wow 95XLT! Your are braver than I running an Explorer at 90+ mph in corners. With the suspension upgrade, I have seen 110 mph (not sure what the margin of error is) on the speedo as I was passing three vehicles. I was VERY pleased with how stable it was and how hard it ran with the K&N filter and Borla exhaust.

Another note about the previous posts suggest that one should only run the higher pressure when moving heavier loads. I agree in general, but I also tend to enjoy every corner (low speed) I come to and prefer that the truck have minimal sway.

I still need to take my G-Force out and measure the lateral reading with various tire pressures.

allenw

 

[SteveVB]

Allen, I think Travis was saying a 90 DEGREE turn, not running at 90MPH.

When I need to do 110 mph I definately dont take my Explorer! More power to ya!

My .02 -I too think you are running a bit much air. I run 25-27 in my 31s on the street, bump it up to 32-35 if Ive got a load. I have a 1 ton truck that I keep the pressures at 45 front 35 rear unloaded, and take it up to around 60 front, and 80 rear when its fully loaded, drives and rides much better that way. My body enjoys the ride much better that way.

FYI -All inflation pressures stamped on DOT approved tires are cold pressures.

 

[Five]

Tire pressures

Recently I purchased a set of Goodyear AT/Ss for my Exploder and it rode a bit harshly. Since the tires were new I kept an eye on the little mold thigies sticking out all over the place (when we were kids we called them "water wheels" because we thought they helped when riding through water, ahh youth!" First thing I noiced was that the ones in the center of the tread were wearing away first, so I checked air pressure. 38PSI "AHA!" I says to myself, "that would explain the harsh ride too, too much air." I lowered the pressure to 32 and have been trying that. Immediately, the ride was better. Also I cant feel every loose coin I drive over anymore which has been hell on the savings account, but is much more comfy. Today I drove through some water and looked in the mirror and I could see that the center tread stripe trailing after the truck was darker than the 2 outer ones. I checked the "water wheels again and found that on the outer edge of the tires, they are still there.
Going to lower the pressure to 30 tomorrow and see how that does.
When I used to race cars, we pressurized so that the heat was even across the tread, indicating that the weight of the car was spread evenly across the tire. This is as it should be, evenly distributed.

And that is MY $0.02

K

 

[01EB5.0]

Allenw,
i did mean 90 degree. I wouldn't make it at 90+ MPH through a turn in the Explorer. The fastest I have gone threw a 90 degree turn was 40 or so, but the tires were making a bit of noise then so I don't know how much more it would have taken. The fastest speed i have ever gone in the Explorer is 80 MPH. Even at 80 it felt very stable, though. I am very pleased with how the Explorer handles. I just wish I had the V-8 engine ;-)